ISN’T IT ROMANTIC Review — The Movie That Makes Fun of Itself

Share this:

Isn’t It Romantic review — For everyone who has a love/hate relationship with romantic comedies

Isn't It Romantic reviewHow could you not be at least mildly amused by a film starring Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth and Adam Divine doing delicious self-parodies in a send-up of an entire genre? Great cast, premise and potential, right

Isn’t It Romantic does not disappoint. It’s a romcom within a romcom that makes fun of romcoms. Of course it follows the conventions that it mocks. That’s half the fun!

Wilson plays Natalie a New York  architect who openly disdains the romantic comedies her assistant (Betty Gilpin) loves (and watches on company time). Natalie is such a cynic when it comes to love she cavalierly dismisses any romantic vibes her nice guy co-worker (Adam Divine) sends her way.

Even when Natalie bumps her head and wakes up finding that her life has been transformed into a romcom with the glossiest of patinas, where an arrogant but hunky client (Liam Hemsworth) has fallen madly in love with her, she remains skeptical.

When will she wake up, and what will she have learned? Those are the warm, if not burning, questions that take you on a fun ride, if not a thrill ride, through to the end, a bouncy dance number that is worth the price of admission alone.

While there are no teary eyed moments, which all the best romcoms have, there are plenty of laugh out loud moments, which are pay off enough. Director Todd Strauss-Schulson whose credits include the not overly seen A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas and The Finals Girls, both with Fresh ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, proves that he’s on the rise. Much of the credit should be given, of course, to the trio of female writers in including Dana Fox, Erin Cardillo, Katie Silberman.

Granted, Isn’t It Romantic is probably a lot more fun for women than men—I can’t imagine a bunch of bros racing out to to see it on a boys night out. But that’s of little consequence. Those guys who do see it will be entertained well enough, while the rest of us are ROFL.

If this Isn’t It Romantic review tickles you fancy, get times and tickets at Fandango.com.

PG-13

1 Hour 28 Minutes

Isn’t It Romantic review — For everyone who has a love/hate relationship with romantic comedies

Share this:

Lisa Johnson Mandell

Lisa Johnson Mandell is an award winning journalist, author and film/TV critic. She can be heard regularly on Cumulus radio stations throughout the US, and seen on Rotten Tomatoes. She is the author of three bestselling books, and spends as much of her free time as possible with her husband Jim and her jolly therapy Labradoodle Frankie Feldman.

Leave a Comment





The Latest

GHOSTBUSTERS FROZEN EMPIRE Review — High Spirited Hijinks

ARTHUR THE KING Review — This Good Boy Saves the Day

AMERICAN DREAMER Review — House Hunting Runs Amok

KUNG FU PANDA 4 Review — Packs a Lot of Punch

Dune Part 2 Review — The First Glorious Epic of the Year

MADAME WEB Review — One for the Record Books, But Not in a Good Way

ARGYLLE Review — Not the Cat’s Pajamas

MEAN GIRLS Review, THE BOOK OF CLARENCE Review — 1 Works

NIGHT SWIM Review — Don’t be Afraid to Dive Right In

POOR THINGS Review — SALTBURN Review — 2 of the Best Movies of the Year